Book Project 6
By: Brooke Stanhope (Choice 2)
Summary of: The Angel of Death
The story starts with the main character of this book, Cameryn Mahoney, doing a check on a dead animal found by the road in the mountains near her home in Colorado. Not the most spectacular of jobs for the assistant of the coroner. It seems like a routine disposal, except for one thing: the dog’s eyes are missing. This detail is dismissed because of scavengers, but becomes prominent later on when the body of Cameryn’s English teacher is discovered in his house, with the same strange feature. The person who found the body is Kyle O’ Neil, one of the teacher’s scouts. Cameryn quickly gets into a complicated romance with the Eagle Scout, while also trying to keep this from the interest of her father. Her mother, who Cameryn has never met, is also attempting to come to visit her, making things even more complicated. All of this is happening while she is trying to solve one of the most puzzling murders anyone- her father, her, or the mortician- has ever seen. No one can seem to find the cause of death for the teacher, who looks like he has been cooked alive in his bed. All the pressure falls on Cameryn’s shoulders, for she is the only one who seems to be able to talk to Kyle, the only one that seems to know anything about the murder. Cameryn has to figure out what is happening fast, or Cameryn’s life may be in danger as well.
Summary of: Have a Little Faith
Have a Little Faith, begins with an unusual request. An 82 year old rabbi from Mitch Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy. Mitch insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, Mitch becomes involved with a Detroit pastor who is a reformed drug dealer and convict, who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof. Moving between each others worlds, Mitch observes how these very different men employ faith similarly. As we know people have struggles with hard times and turn more to their beliefs, Mitch and the two men of God explore how to endure when difficult things happen, what heaven is, intermarriage, forgiveness, doubting God, and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the histories are different, Mitch begins to recognize a striking unity between the two world and beliefs everywhere. In the end, as the rabbi is near death and a harsh winter storm that can take down the pastor's wobbly church, Mitch fulfills the rabbi's last request and writes the eulogy. He finally understands what both men had been teaching all along.
How are they similar?
These two books are similar by the religious view. In The Angel of Death, the angel represents the religious view and in Have a Little Faith, the whole book is based on many religious views.
How are they different?
The Angel of Death, is clearly fiction. The book is a forensic mystery book with no real events that have occurred. On the other-hand Have a Little Faith, is all about Mitch's journey and re-discovery of religion and it had real true events that occurred.
Which Book did you enjoy more? Why?
I enjoyed The Angel of Death more because I love mystery books. Not only was it a mystery book but it had things that dealt with the department I'm interested in,(forensics). While Have a Little Faith had an eye opening journey, and a true purpose, I loved all the thrill, action, and mystery that occurred in The Angel of Death.
Which characters did you relate to better? Why?
I relate to Mitch Albom the man who wrote and was in Have a Little Faith. I relate to him more because he lost his religious values, and at one point I started to lose my own religious values. Also, Mitch was asked to write a eulogy, while I didn't get asked to write a eulogy, my family and church community began to ask questions on why I am losing my faith, and that I need to keep my faith high because god leads the way. At the end of the story Mitch finds the true value of both of the religions that were being taught along the way, and I also found the true value on why I need to keep my faith and not lose hope and stay a believer of God.